Dresses, Daring & Dancing Lessons
by Greenholly
Summary: Hermione and Ron dancing at Bill's wedding.  Yes, I know it's been done, but I couldn't help it.  A missing moment from DH.


Hello everybody... I know I haven't posted anything in quite awhile and I apologize. If anyone out there has been waiting for the third and final chapter of "A Little More Love," it will probably be up soon. I'm just an incredibly sporadic writer, I guess.

(Also I don't own anything)

((And reviews are fun for me))

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Ron couldn't imagine how he gotten to this moment, standing nearly stock still, with Hermione held awkwardly in his arms. Images flashed through his mind, a swirl of purple fabric, some touching vows between Fleur and Bill and…Viktor Krum. Just imagining the face caused him to wince. That was how he had gotten the daft idea of dancing into his head. He made a mental note: Jealousy wins over cowardice. Of course it _would _have to be a slow song playing and Ron _would _have to making an absolute fool of himself.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Hermione, who had been looking slightly uncomfortable, now looked up at him in surprise.

"For what?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm not really…good at dancing."

"Oh Ron! You're not so bad!"

Ron grimaced. "Thanks."

Hermione giggled. "Really Ron! You have all the steps down...it's just…"

_Not as good as Viktor. _Ron thought forlornly. Would he ever be able to compare to that brooding, bearded –

"Who have you been practicing with?" Hermione's question cut into Ron's thoughts.

"W-What?" Ron could feel his ears turning red. "What are you talking about?"

Hermione rolled her eyes "Come on, Ron. When my cousin got married I had to take lessons too. So who have you been practicing with?"

Ron blushed. "Ginny," he said reluctantly.

"I thought so," she said grinning, "Alright, new lesson. When you dance with a girl who is _not _your sister _or_ any other relation for that matter, there is no need to put an entire hippogriff's worth of space between the two of you."

And very slowly, almost cautiously, Hermione closed the gap that was between them. Her hear rested on Ron's chest, and now not only was her hand touching his shoulder, but now her arm was pressing against him as well. Ron adjusted his own arm to fit more snuggly around her waist. This was _nice, _better than nice. This was bliss.

Ron had no idea how his feet were still moving, recalling the steps on their own, but they were, and what was more was that Hermione's feet were moving as well, in perfect rhythm with his own.

"See?" floated up Hermione's voice from the region of his chest. "This is how you hold a girl you aren't related to."

"Even best friends?" Ron couldn't help the longing from creeping into his voice.

"Even best friends," Hermione echoed, affirming.

Ron welled with happiness. His heart felt lighter than it had in some time.

The band stopped and Hermione pulled back enough to look at him, but she didn't let go of his hand.

"How's Harry doing?" she asked.

Ron spotted his friend at a table with Muriel and some nervous looking man he'd never seen before.

"Muriel's got hold of him, but other than that, he looks alright."

"Do we have time then, for another dance?"

Ron looked down at her hopeful face and grinned from ear to ear. Hermione wanted to dance with him. _Him, Ron Weasley. _

"Absolutely."

The music started once more and this time it was Ron who drew Hermione in closer. Her hair tickled his nose and he didn't mind at all. He could smell her hair, breathe in that sweet, perfect, unmistakable Hermione scent.

"I do feel bad about leaving Harry with Muriel, but this might be the last time we get to do something like this." Her voice sounded strangely subdued, as if she were sleepy.

Ron felt a twinge of pain in his throat. Lately everything he did felt like it might be the last time, the last time saw Lupin and Tonks, the last time he ate one of his mother's meals. He didn't want what was happening right now, he didn't want _this _to be the last time he held this beautiful, wonderful, amazing woman in his arms.

He shoved his fear down and let out a strangled chuckle. "Don't worry about it," he said, then added in a lighter tone, "And don't listen to Aunt Muriel. I think your ankles are fantastic."

"Really?" Hermione feigned doubt.

"I haven't seen a lot of them mind you, between school robes and pants and everything. But right now, I'm looking at them and I think that they're just about perfect."

Hermione laughed.

"If I had known what a fan you were of my ankles I would have shown them off more often."

Ron's confidence went to his head. He wanted to tell her everything about her that he loved. Her hair, her eyes, her smile.

"And I like your dress."

Hermione pulled back so she could look at him properly and looked so cheerful that Ron's chest swelled with pride.

"Thank you. My mother always said that periwinkle suits me."

"It looks more like lavender to me." Said Ron, before his mind could catch up with his mouth and he winced.

"Oh." Hermione's face fell.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. _Ron tried to remember if there had been any rule in _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_ that had specifically stated, "Don't bring up your ex-girlfriend's name while dancing with a girl who you want to be your girl-friend but is still, sadly, your best-friend." It should be rule number one.

"I'm sorry..." he said immediately "I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's alright Ron, really." Said Hermione looking up at him with a somewhat pained expression on her face. "It's not your fault that her parents named her after a color."

"Two colors." Ron corrected and to his complete surprise, Hermione smiled widely. Ron gave a nervous sort of chuckle and pulled her back closer to him. They swayed to the music. Ron decided not to talk again unless he had to. Except…

"She doesn't matter anymore."

"No?"

"Not a bit."

"Really?" Hermione looked like she desperately wanted to believe him.

"Really."

"Well then I... I wanted you to know something too."

"What is it?"

"He doesn't matter anymore, either."

"Who?"

"Viktor." Hermione said, as if she were stating the obvious, which of course, she was. "I saw how upset you were when he passed you his invitation."

"Really? I thought you would have been too busy blushing."

"Oh dear, was I blushing? I didn't mean to."

"You could have put all of us Weasleys to shame."

"I'm sorry, it's just that it's a bit flustering to see someone you haven't seen in awhile." She let out a light laugh. "I thought we were going to have a Yule Ball all over again."

"This is already better than the Yule Ball," said Ron happily, "I'm dancing with you aren't I?"

She had to feel the same way, how could she not? The smallest touch was enough to make lightning bolts shoot through his body. It would be impossible (heartbreaking, world-shattering) for her to not feel it too. And the most important question was still to be answered. How could she not notice, not know how he felt about her? The world was about to fall all around them and he hadn't even said one fiftieth of all of the things he wanted to tell her, that he longed to tell her. That she was the smartest witch he had ever met. That he loved one particular pink jumper that she had, but didn't wear very often. That just the smallest hint of a smile from her could make his day infinitely better. That he loved her. He loved her hair, he loved her eyes, he loved her courage and her loyalty and the way her cheeks were glowing pink at this very moment.

"I wish things didn't have to change," said Hermione suddenly and full of feeling.

"I know."

"I think we're perfect the way we are right now, you and me and Harry… well not Harry, in that ridiculous disguise, but I just… I just want everyone to stay safe."

Ron could feel Hermione's body begin to shake with sobs.

"Shhh.. Hermione it's okay. Harry is never going to leave you. _I _am never going to leave you. And we'll be safe as long as we stay together, we've proved it enough times now I think. We're perfect together."

He didn't know if the "we" he was talking about included Harry anymore, all he knew was that he wanted to see Hermione smile again. He pulled back from her.

"Although I don't know what you're going to do with all the free time you'll have, since you won't have to nag us to do homework anymore. Maybe you could take up chess."

Hermione _did _smile and Ron smiled back with all his heart. _Brilliant. _

"Why don't you go check on Harry and I'll go get some drinks for all of us?"

"I thought you _just_ said you'd never leave me?" said Hermione, mock-indignant.

"I'll be back before you can cast a spell." And he flashed Hermione one more smile before disappearing into the crowd.


End file.
